Index: DefaultMaven.java
===================================================================
--- DefaultMaven.java	(revision 563893)
+++ DefaultMaven.java	(working copy)
@@ -512,14 +512,17 @@
                         moduleFile = new File( basedir, name + "/" + Maven.POMv4 );
                     }
 
-                    try
+                    if ( !isSymLink( moduleFile ))
                     {
-                        moduleFile = moduleFile.getCanonicalFile();
+                        try
+                        {
+                            moduleFile = moduleFile.getCanonicalFile();
+                        }
+                        catch ( IOException e )
+                        {
+                            throw new MavenExecutionException( "Unable to canonicalize file name " + moduleFile, e );
+                        }
                     }
-                    catch ( IOException e )
-                    {
-                        throw new MavenExecutionException( "Unable to canonicalize file name " + moduleFile, e );
-                    }
                     
                     moduleFiles.add( moduleFile );
                 }
@@ -535,6 +538,20 @@
         return projects;
     }
 
+    private boolean isSymLink( File file ) throws MavenExecutionException
+    {
+        File dir = file.getParentFile();
+        try
+        {
+            return !file.getCanonicalPath().startsWith( dir.getCanonicalPath() );
+        }
+        catch ( IOException e )
+        {
+            throw new MavenExecutionException( "Error checking whether file: " + file + 
+                                               "is a symbolic link. Error: " + e.getMessage(), e );
+         }
+    }
+
     public MavenProject getProject( File pom,
                                     ArtifactRepository localRepository,
                                     Settings settings,